MP II: Rules of Attraction
by Snowman1400
Summary: (Sequel) Ginny and Harry sharing a room? This seems familiar! They're all at Ron's wedding, but is it to the right girl? Hermione doesn't think so! And why didn't anyone know inviting the twins was a BAD idea? Drama, fluff, laughter, and you-know-what!
1. Prologue

A/N: **MP II: RULES OF ATTRACTION** is the sequel to The Muggle Project, but that does not mean in any way that those of you who have not read the previous Muggle Project installment won't understand this fic, (although it may help the reader to understand certain aspects of the story). With that having been said, please enjoy the sequel to The Muggle Project.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I have in fact used the last of my money to buy three sets of tickets to the third movie. It's times like these that make me wish I wasn't too old to have a lemonade stand, seeing as I could use the money. Ahh, the good ol' days...**

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

* * *

Sometimes people are blessed with wonderful gifts. A poor, underprivileged child is born with an exceptionally high I.Q. A barren woman gets a chance to adopt. The two people who endured hell for each other finally come together as a couple, despite their mutual stubbornness. A spunky young redhead arrives just in time to pull a troubled Quidditch player out of depression.

But sometimes, these gifts are not meant to last. The girl genius is hit on the head by an abusive father and suffers severe brain damage. The barren woman's child is taken away when she loses her job. The couple everyone voted "Most Likely to Get Married" back in high school didn't last more than two weeks after graduation. The depressed boy and his girlfriend are pulled apart by one thing or another until their relationship just snaps.

As sad as it may seem, these things do happen. And as Harry Potter held the small, white wedding invitation in his hands, these were the exact thoughts that were running through his head.

* * *

"You are cordially invited to witness Ronald B. Weasley and Nina A. Sauniere be joined in holy matrimony, on the seventh of June, year two thousand and four..."

* * *

Harry remembered the day he met Nina. It was three days after Ron and Hermione had broken up. He had never imagined that introducing Ron to the funny waitress he's met at the pub would end up in marriage. Maybe he had been wrong in assuming his best friends would stay together as a couple forever. He had, after all, thought that about Ginny and himself. It was no secret that Hermione was still in love with Ron. Everyone knew it, (except for them, of course). Harry cringed at the thought of the upcoming wedding, which was to be held in Paris, (Nina's hometown).

He looked down at a separate, smaller piece of parchment that the owl had dropped off.

_** "Mr. H. Potter, Dinner Plus One."**_

His mind immediately flew to Ginny, but when he remembered that they had been separated for almost a year, Harry groaned inwardly and threw the card onto the kitchen counter. His best friend was about to get married to the wrong girl, and although he constantly found himself trying to deny it, Harry Potter was as much in love with his ex as Hermione Granger was in love with hers. 

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, so that's the prologue. Don't worry, it gets a lot funnier and less dreary from here, and I can promise a wild bachelor and/or bachelorette party in the near future... **; D**

****  
  
**To respond to reviews on ch 13 of The Muggle Project:**

* * *

Kazimir: No. Ginny is not pregnant. I will repeat this for all readers. She is not under any circumstances carrying a child.  
  
Mary-V: Yeah, the Friends finale also made me a bit depressed. Did you watch Survivor? Anyways, I like the new penname!  
  
SnakeEyesHannah: Thanks; I thought it might be fun to have them get in a bit of a fight.  
  
Loves to Read: That was one of the best reviews I've ever gotten! Seriously! I'm so glad that you love the story, and I hope you'll like this one, too. And of course I brought Sirius back, I LOVE him!  
  
JamieBell: I know, can't you just picture the twins busting a move on their old Cleansweeps?  
  
Nightwing 509: Fred and George will be pissed, but none of the brothers will be expecting anything to happen between Harry and Ginny, (HINT HINT).


	2. Ch 1: Getting Packed

A/N: Here is chapter one of my story. I know there are a lot of questions to be answered, and if you have any pressing ones, please email me with them. And now, here is the chappie:

* * *

Chapter One: Getting Packed

* * *

"Hermione, have you seen my other shoe?"  
  
Ginny was frantically searching their small two-bedroom flat for assorted clothes and turning it into quite a mess along the way.  
  
"No, but I _did_ find your black dress," Hermione shouted from across the room, holding up the garment. A look of relief passed over Ginny's face as she snatched it out of Hermione's hands.  
  
"How did it get under the sink?" Hermione asked curiously, trying to hold back a smile.  
  
"Who cares? I only have three more things to find...where on _earth_ could that shoe be?"  
  
Ginny dashed into her room, throwing the bed sheets on the floor in exasperation. "Argh!" she groaned, closing her eyes tightly. When had she worn it last? Oh, she would never find it; nothing in this flat was ever where it was supposed to be.  
  
Hermione and Ginny had been living together for almost nine months, and somehow Ginny never managed to find what she was looking for. Of course, Hermione's things were all neat and organized, so she rarely had the same problem.  
  
Ginny walked out of her room once more, heading towards the kitchen. As she opened the old icebox, she called to Hermione, "So you're staying here, then?"  
  
A loud thump could be heard from the adjoining room, and when Hermione finally emerged, she seemed oddly flustered.  
  
"Oh, well, I think it'd be best if I stayed here, you know, in England."  
  
"You _were_ invited. He obviously wants you there."  
  
Hermione blushed at the thought of showing up at Ron's wedding, and she said quickly, "I didn't even R.S.V.P, so even if I did want to go--"  
  
But her sentence was cut short as a loud knocking came from the front door and two figures burst in.  
  
"Oi, Ginny! You here?" came a familiar voice.  
  
"We're just in the kitchen, Ron."  
  
Hermione busied herself with the dirty dishes as Ginny's older brother walked in. He gave his sister a small hug and said, "'Mornin', Gin."  
  
"Don't call me Gin," she said shortly, trying to push his arm off of her shoulder. Ron happily obliged and said, "Alright, then. Are you all packed?"  
  
"Nearly," came the reply as Ginny hurried off to grab one or two more things. Hermione turned around just in time to catch Ron staring at the back of her head.  
  
"Er, nice to see you, Hermione."  
  
"Hello, Ron," she said politely after drying a teacup. Her eyes went past him, however, to the other boy there.  
  
"Harry!" she said cheerfully, throwing the dishtowel on the counter and running up to give him a hug, "How've you been?"  
  
The black-haired boy had been suspiciously quiet this entire time, so it surprised her when he replied in an almost equally cheery tone.  
  
"Good. Been a bit busy, you know."  
  
"I heard! I haven't seen you since you left for that assignment in February. Wasn't it over somewhere in Russia?" Hermione asked inquisitively, giving him her full attention. Harry had a strong suspicion that she was putting all of her energy into ignoring the tall, blushing boy to his left.  
  
"You know, I've been on assignment, too," Ron supplied eagerly, looking at her expectantly.  
  
"What's it like over there, Harry?" Hermione asked while acting as if she hadn't heard Ron's comment, "Are the people any different?"  
  
"Well, I'm not so sure. But from what I saw, they didn't seem too happy. But that might have been because I only saw them when Kingsley was arresting them, the poor bastards," Harry smiled.  
  
"Who could blame them?" Hermione joked, "I'd be pretty ticked if you were arresting _me_."  
  
"I arrested a lot of Swedes last week," Ron almost shouted in Hermione's ear. Harry could sense the tension between the two, so he said casually, "Well, I'm just going to go to the loo."  
  
Hermione nodded understandingly and went back to washing the dishes. Ron walked up next to her and said, "So, 'Mione, what's new?"  
  
"Nothing," she hummed.  
  
"Why aren't you coming to my wedding?"  
  
Hermione took a deep breath and said as calmly as she could, "I have a lot of work to do."  
  
Ron looked bewildered as he said, "But, Hermione, **it's my _wedding_**."  
  
"I know, but they really need me down at the bookshop. Those spellbooks won't label themselves!" What was she doing? She sounded like an old woman.  
  
Ron watched, dumbfounded, as Hermione started to scrub at the plates furiously. After a moment of intense soaping, she dropped it into the porcelain basin and sighed.  
  
"It would really mean a lot to me if you came," Ron said hopefully, in a sort of last-ditch effort.  
  
"I wish I could, Ron," was all she said.  
  
Ginny presently came dashing out of her room, carrying two large duffel bags and several smaller ones. They were imprinted with golden letters that read, "G.W." and were much too heavy for such a petite woman to carry.  
  
She lost her balance halfway across the room and came crashing down onto the worn Oriental rug on the living room floor. Her baggage lay strewn about, and she was nursing a small scrape on her knee.  
  
"Erm, does this belong to anyone?" she heard an all-too-familiar voice call from the bathroom. Ginny looked up just in time to see a very amused Harry holding a small, black, high-heeled shoe.  
  
"Yes, that's mine!" she exclaimed happily, running to grab it from his rough, Auror Training-calloused hands. It wasn't until she was standing on tiptoe in front of him that she actually got a good look at his face. The two of them locked eyes for a moment, just staring at one another.  
  
"Well," he said through a small smile, "Here you are, then."  
  
As he handed it to her, he said happily, "Let me just ask you one thing. Is there a reason it was hanging from the _light bulb cord_?"  
  
Ginny laughed and said, "Why? Isn't that where you keep your shoes?"  
  
"Me? No, I'm more of a ceiling-fan type of guy."

She was so glad that it wasnt awkward between them.

Ron cleared his throat dutifully and said in a down-to-business voice, "Well then, are you ready, Ginny?"  
  
"Sure," she replied, grabbing up her luggage.  
  
"Here, lemme help you with that," Harry said, arm extended. She was wary at first, but as Ginny thought of how heavy her bags were, she gladly accepted.

The three travelers made their way over to the door, each one stopping in turn to give their goodbyes to Hermione.

"Bye, Hermione," Ginny said through a one-armed hug. Harry leaned forward and kissed Hermione on the cheek before holding the front door open. Ron only looked at her morosely before waving and departing. As Hermione slumped down in the wooden kitchen chair, she heard a lively Harry shout down the stairs, "To Paris we go! Jesus, Gin, what did you put in this thing?"  
  
Hermione only smiled glumly and looked up at the ceiling. Merlin, why hadn't she just gone to the wedding?  
  
'Because it would have been so horribly awkward that you would have ended up going home early anyways,' her inner voice told her.  
  
So with that, Hermione got up and put on her coat. She decided maybe she needed a good cup of coffee, perhaps with a shot of firewhiskey in it.

* * *

A/N: Okay, I made a promise to myself to try and get these chapters out faster than I did last time. Although I know how that will undoubtedly end up, its worth a try, right? Now to respond to some of your reviews:

* * *

Queen of Greenland: Thank you so much! I try to write as well as I can, and I'm glad you liked it!  
  
Miss Ray317: I will definitely talk about why the two couples broke up, and I think you'll like it better when its in the right context.  
  
Harryshot: How could I NOT write a sequel?  
  
Loves to Read: Yeah, they are meant for each other.  
  
Luvsirius: Noice review.  
  
SnakeEyesHannah: I love devoted fans!  
  
Lozzie: There isn't a kid with an abusive father or a barren woman. They were simply examples used to prove a point.  
  
ElizabethMM: CROTCH! Okay, well, Nina is NOT a French name, but it isn't Irish either, but you will see how she got her name (its roots are Spanish) in upcoming chapters. And if you read other fanfics of mine...well, lets just say that this isn't the first time I've introduced a character with the last name of Sauniere.  
  
Jill: Yes and yes.  
  
JamieBell: What else can you expect from me? It's like the roller coaster from hell!  
  
BurningIce22: Is a woman's intuition ever wrong?  
  
BrownPryde: Yeah, Nina has to go.  
  
Nightwing 509: Okay, well, here it is.

* * *

Okay, so now all you have left to do is REVIEW! Please, they inspire me, and the faster I get inspired, the faster i UPDATE!

So make an author happy; REVIEW!!!!


	3. Ch 2: Alcohol, Tea, and Bribery Money

**Authors Note:** I am SO sorry you guys, I haven't updated in SOO long! I never meant to let it get out of hand like this, but I had finals and weekends spent up north, and my life's just been so hectic that I haven't had any time at all to even consider writing another chapter! It wasn't until I jumped on the computer today and looked over the first chapter that I realized how much I loved this story and that there was no possible way I could keep putting this off. Sorry again for the wait, I'll try to speed things up now, which should be easier because it's summer vacation and I'm freeeeee! Hahaha okay so I'll save the rest of the boring stuff for the end of the chapter. For now, here's chapter two of MP II!!!!

* * *

**Chapter Two: Alcohol, Tea, and Bribery Money**

**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Harry Potter. I am not J.K. Rowling. I borrowed all names, places, ideas, etc. that I did not make up myself. I am not making any money off of this._

**Rating: PG-13**

**Summary: **Hermione is having trouble coping with Ron's wedding, so she goes to meet an old friend at the pub for some girl talk. Harry and Ginny arrive at the hotel in Paris, only to find themselves in an eerily similar situation to the one they shared during The Muggle Project 1. Fred and George, however, have already made their trouble-making selves at home, starting with bribing the manager of the hotel!!! What will happen next??

* * *

**H**ermione ran out of her flat, he shoes clacking mercilessly against the sidewalk. She held her light spring jacket against her bare arms, seeing as it was a bit windy. Her bushy brown hair flew in all directions, and she was sure it must look terribly frightening.  
  
Finally, she reached the familiar worn wooden door of her favorite pub. She pulled it open with force and stepped in purposefully, waving at Rhett the bartender on her way. Hermione made her way across the room to a table set for two underneath a large, semi-dirty window in the back. She plopped herself down and picked up the small menu unnecessarily. Hermione Granger frequented this pub far too often to need a menu.  
  
Seeing the pretty young woman come into his bar, Rhett stood up from his hunched position next to a reporter from the _Daily Prophet_ and came jogging up to her.  
  
"The usual, Ms. Granger?" he asked in a warm tone, smiling at her with his blindingly white teeth.  
  
"That would be wonderful Rhett, but see if you could put a dash of something in it, you know, to liven it up a bit."  
  
"I understand, Ms. Granger," he nodded knowingly, turning to place her order.  
  
Hermione stared distantly out of the window for many long minutes, letting her mind wander freely. Exactly how long she waited for Rhett to return with her mint tea was unknown, but the slightly spiked beverage was more than welcome when it did arrive. She sipped the hot drink slowly, blowing across the surface occasionally to cool it.  
  
The tinkling of a bell rang through the musty room, but she didn't pay it much attention. She continued to stare out of the window.  
  
A skinny blond woman walked briskly up to Hermione's side and sat down in the chair opposite her. She barely looked up as the newcomer made herself comfortable and signaled Rhett to come and take her order.  
  
"What's that you've got there?" she asked curiously, pointing to Hermione's mug.  
  
"Mint tea with a shot of firewhiskey," she replied monotonously. Rhett had just approached them when Hermione started to stir her tea with her wand.  
  
"What can I get ye, Miss?" Rhett asked Hermione's companion politely. The young woman told him to bring her a small coffee with extra cream. Hermione watched the bartender flip his small black notebook closed and walk in the direction of the taps.  
  
"So are you going to tell me what this is all about, or are we just going to sit here forever?" Luna Lovegood asked her solemn friend.  
  
"I don't know, forever sounds good, as long as I don't have to see Ronald Weasley ever again," Hermione mused, biting back a bitter smile. As upset as she was over Ron, Hermione was still glad that Luna was so dependable. In fact, she'd been coming to comfort Hermione at the drop of a hat for the past two years. And it wasn't as if Hermione didn't repay the favor; when Jonathon had left Luna last November, it was Hermione who met her at this very pub for a "Girl Talk" that lasted well into the morning hours.  
  
Luna was obviously confused. She furrowed her brow as Hermione talked, and when Rhett came to deliver her coffee, Luna told him discreetly that she could also use a shot of Odkin's Ol' Firewhiskey.  
  
"Start from the beginning," Luna said calmly after Rhett had taken her drink grudgingly and went to put some alcohol in it.  
  
Hermione started in on her tale, telling Luna of how she had received the wedding invitation, and how ever since she opened that horrible envelope she hadn't been acting normal.  
  
"I just don't know what to do, Luna," Hermione said in an exasperated tone, looking up at the dusty rafters.  
  
"Hermione Granger doesn't know what to do? Is the world coming to an end?" Luna joked.  
  
"Yup, it's Armageddon and you missed it. Now can we move on?"  
  
"Sure," Luna said cautiously, suddenly aware of Hermione's mood. Although it was custom for Ms. Granger to come up with cutting remarks at any mention of humor, never had her snide comments been made with such a sneering undertone. Clearly this was not a simple matter.

* * *

**H**arry hefted the large duffel bags up the stairs, trying his best to not show any weakness.  
  
"I'll ask once again, Ginny. Why the bloody hell do you need so much stuff?"  
  
"Hey, you offered to carry it," Ginny commented dryly, trying to hold back her laughter. Harry really could be amusing sometimes.  
  
The two of them had just reached the top of the inn's long and winding staircase, and as Harry nearly fell over at the end, Ginny shook her head and whipped out her wand.  
  
"Harry Potter, you can act like such a muggle sometimes," she laughed, flicking it and sending all of her bags flying to the end of the corridor. Harry looked up at her in a frustrated manner, as if to say, "Why-did-you- not-remind-me-that-I-am-a-wizard-and-can-magic-things-around-without-having- to-carry-them?" Ginny only laughed and looked down at her small, brass key.  
  
"Room 28," she read plainly, looking from door to door. She found the one she was looking for directly across from her pile of luggage.  
  
"Where are you?" she asked him in a polite tone.  
  
Harry held up a similar looking key and her keen eyesight allowed her to read the small ticket attached to it.  
  
Room 28.  
  
Ginny's eyes darted from her key to his, and then back again. Okay, being in the same wedding as Harry Potter she could deal with, but the same ROOM? A distant laugh rang through her ears, and it took her a minute to realize that it was coming from Harry. She had to fight hard to keep the edges of her mouth from smiling, and even then it didn't work. Within moments she was wearing an ironic smile and shaking her head.  
  
"Do they both work?" Ginny asked smartly, grabbing his key from his outstretched hand and trying each one in the lock. And yes, to her amazement and frustration, both keys did work.  
  
"Well, we'd better get this sorted out," Harry said in a happy voice, grabbing them back from her and starting on his way to the stairs.

* * *

**"I** am terribly sorry, Miss Weasley, but a mistake seems to have been made. I regret to inform you that all other rooms are currently full. The wait for a vacant spot is three weeks."  
  
"What do you mean, three weeks?" Ginny nearly shouted at the manager of the inn, who was holding stunning composure in the face of danger, (i.e. Ginny Weasley's wrath). Harry gave himself a mental note to commend the mustached man later for his bravery.  
  
"Are there any other hotels in the area?" Harry asked calmly. Ginny gave him a thankful look for being so smart to ask.  
  
"None that have open rooms, I'm afraid."  
  
"Damn," Ginny cursed quietly. She started to pace the small room that functioned as the lobby, wondering what on earth she could do.  
  
Her eyes caught Harry's, who was standing near the door.  
  
"I'll go find somewhere else to stay, then. It might not be close by, but I'll come and pick up my suitcase later once I find a place," he said in such a gentlemanly way that made Ginny feel guilty.  
  
"Oh no, you're not getting out of this that easily," she said sternly, walking up to him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You heard me, Harry Potter. You're not about to make me out to be the selfish one. You have just as much of a right to that room as I do," she said, pointing a finger at his broad chest.  
  
"I do?" he asked. Seeing Ginny act this stubborn brought back way too many memories.  
  
"I'm going to go find another inn," she said in a firm tone, "and you can stay here."  
  
"Don't try that one, Ginny," he retorted, "I'm not about to kick a lady out on the street just so I can be closer to the party. You're staying here."  
  
"May I suggest something?" the manager said in a small voice.  
  
"What?" Harry and Ginny said in exasperated unison.  
  
"If the two of you decide to stay here, then I believe we could arrange for your time spent at the Grande to be complimentary."  
  
"You mean free?" Ginny asked dumbly.  
  
"Yes, Miss," he replied in a curt French accent. Harry caught himself staring at his slick little moustache.  
  
Ginny looked up at his emerald eyes in a strange manner. "What do you think?" she said carefully. Harry thought for a moment, pondering the consequences. It was a lose-lose situation. At least this way he could get a free breakfast out of it.  
  
"Sure," he said slowly, nodding his head.  
  
"Okay," Ginny replied, "Okay." She turned to the man behind the desk and said finally, "We'll stay."  
  
The manager watched the two English people walk towards the stairs, and once they had gone up the second flight, he turned to face the two red- haired twins who were standing beside him.  
  
"Thanks, mate," Fred said, slipping a wad of French currency into the man's open hand in a gesture that looked like a handshake.  
  
"We owe you one," George added, clapping the manager on the back.  
  
"Anything for our customers," the manager said through a sly smile, clearly pleased by the large amount of bribery money the twins had used to pay him off.

"Think they'll survive?" Fred asked his twin evilly.

"Not a chance," George replied through a large grin.

* * *

**A/N:** So, what did you think? Does this situation look familiar to anyone? Well, let me know what you think!

* * *

Laughingurl: Sorry, here you go!  
  
Ronluver626: I hoped you'd read this, and I also hope you like it!  
  
Loves to Read: Thank you SO much! I'll try to update as often as possible!  
  
SnakeEyesHannah: lol sorry, glad you did review though!  
  
LuthienGranger2004: I think it's safe to say that you'll like my story...hint hint.  
  
Hpgoldensnitch: Definitely, all that stuff is coming.  
  
Maria: Okay, I did notice the correlation between my story and the Friends episode "The One with Ross' wedding" and I can't say that Ron will say Hermione's name, but would it be any fun if she DIDN'T pull a Rachel?  
  
Lady of Masbolle: Thanks, I will.  
  
Hahaha: Okay.  
  
Luvsirius: Can't say it'll be horribly painful, and I hate to tell you that you might even end up liking her, (while hating her, of course) but don't worry, everything will work out. Trust me.  
  
ElizabethMM: Crotch, that was a good review. Lol  
  
Allison: Thank you soo much, I know it was a shocker to see them broken up, but it kind of makes you want to read, doesn't it? Keep in touch.  
  
Hollywoodblvd: I will, in due time. Sorry it took so long.  
  
Harry gin: I hate hw!! Haha thanks  
  
Brownpryde: There will be LOTS of h/g  
  
Lucugirl07: don't worry, lol!  
  
Jamiebell: yes, yes, you will, and yes, yes, she does. Keep reading, haha!

* * *

Okay, well, that's all the reviews I have time to respond to, so keep reading everyone and...  
  
**REVIEW!!!**


End file.
